Works of Porphyry (B): Platonica & Plotiniana

Platonica

No. 11: Commentary on Plato’s Cratylus? (168F)

The source of this fragment refers to “Porphyry in/on the Cratylus”. Whether this was a fullblown commentary on the Cratylus, or a casual reference to it is unknown. One is tempted to connect it to No. 45, “On Divine Names” – but about that work, we know nothing at all.

No. 12: Commentary on Plato’s Sophist (169F)

Used by Boethius in his Latin work De divisione. Although only a single fragment remains, it runs to nearly 800 lines.

No. 13: ⟨Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides⟩ (170–171)

Proclus preserves a summary of Porphyry’s interpretation of the dialogue in his own commentary.

No. 14: “Commentary on [Plato’s] Timaeus” (edited separately, exc. 172F)

With the exception of one fragment (Philoponus On the Eternity of the World 172,5–20), edited by Smith, the remains of this commentary were collected by A. R. Sodano, Porphyrii in Platonis Timaeum Commentariorum fragmenta, 1964. It is the only work among the Platonica of which there are substantial remains.

No. 15: Commentary on Plato’s Philebus (173–176)

Cited thrice by Damascius On Philebus, once in Simplicius’ commentary on Aristotle’s Physics.

No. 16: “On the Eros in [Plato’s] Symposium” (177–178)

Porphyry writes in the Life of Plotinus (177T):

The orator Diophanes one day read a justification of the Alcibiades of Plato's Banquet and maintained that the pupil, for the sake of advancement in virtue, should submit to the teacher without reserve, even to the extent of carnal commerce: Plotinus started up several times to leave the room but forced himself to remain; on the breaking up of the company he directed me to write a refutation. Diophanes refused to lend me his address and I had to depend on my recollection of his argument; but my refutation, delivered before the same audience, delighted Plotinus so much that during the very reading he repeatedly quoted: 'So strike and be a light to men.'

(MacKenna translation)

In the Etymologicum Magnum Genuinum’s article on Oceanus, etymologies for this word are cited from On the Eros.

No. 17: Commentary on Plato’s Phaedo (179–180)

Mentioned once in each of Damascius’ two commentaries on the Phaedo.

No. 18: Commentary on Plato’s Republic (181–187)

Used several times by Proclus in his own commentary, and to a lesser extent by Macrobius On Scipio’s Dream.

No. 19: On Eubulus’ Platonic questions (188)

Porphyry writes in the Life of Plotinus (188T):

When Eubulus, the Platonic Successor, wrote from Athens, sending treatises on some questions in Platonism. Plotinus had the writings put into my hands with instructions to examine them and report to him upon them.

(MacKenna translation)

Plotiniana

No. 20: “On the Life of Plotinus and the Order of his Books” (edited separately)

Perhaps the best-known work of Porphyry’s today, because it precedes Plotinus’ works in all editions since the one prepared by himself, which he called the Enneads. We have some (albeit not very insightful) evidence of other editions having existed in antiquity, but this appears to have been that adopted by the later Neoplatonists, perhaps already by Iamblichus, whose work was often dependent on (and reactive to) Porphyry.

The Life is best read, not read about, for example in Stephen MacKenna’s translation, which is available online. Far more reliable is the recent complete translation of The Enneads, Cambridge University Press 2018, edited by Lloyd P. Gerson.

No. 21: Commentaries on Plotinus’ treatises (189–192)

These must have been important for early readers of Plotinus, but all that remains is the certainty that they once existed.